Quilt Walk Underway in Friday Harbor

— from Diane Martindale for SJI Museum of Art —

Julie Weaver: Turning Stars

Friday Harbor has turned into “quilt central” as the quilt walk engendered by the Conversations With Gee’s Bend exhibition at the San Juan Islands Museum of Art (SJIMA) gets underway.

Fourteen businesses and establishments feature 21 quilts made by San Juan Island quilters, primarily from the Rainshadow Quilting Arts Guild (RQAG). The quilt designs include traditional styles to innovative ones of abstract designs to vintage quilts and more.

Shortly, a card with the list of quilters, titles and locations along with a map will be available at the SJI Chamber of Commerce, Town Hall and SJIMA as well as at each of the sponsor sites. All the sponsors welcome visitors to view the quilts during their regular working hours.

SJIMA is a location on the list and map as the whole museum collection should be seen and enjoyed. Quilts by Linda Cooper’s and Mary Zeretzke’s creations are on display there.

• The Bean
  Sheila Doyle: Fire and Ice
• San Juan Island Chamber of Commerce
  Julie Weaver: Sunset
  Nancy Best (After July 15): Winding Ways
• Windermere Real Estate
  Sue Beauchamp: Irish Memory
• Coldwell Banker
  Lunnette Higdon-Hertel: Olympic View
• Island Studios
  Dorothy Ives: Decision Point
• Key Bank
  Barb Snider: Kaffe Blocks
  Lunnette Higdon-Hertel: Sunday Afternoon
• Printonyx
  Julie Weaver: Turning Stars
  Lunnette Higdon-Hertel: Dancing Cats; Modern Art
• Islanders Bank
  Krispi Staude: Big Q; Disappearing Snowflakes
• San Juan Island School District
  Linda Cooper: Asian Mix
• San Juan Islands Museum of Art
  Conversations With Gee’s Bend exhibition
  Mary Zeretzke: Reunion
  Linda Cooper: African Dance and Sedona Spires.
• Friday Harbor Suites
  Linda Cooper: The Journey Makes The Difference
• Creative Passions
  Diane Martindale: Polar Bear In The Tropics
• Heritage Bank
  Julie Weaver: Medallion
  Carol Hooper: On The Wind
• San Juan Island Library
  Vintage quilt, Ca. 1950’s.
  Barb Snider: Bambi and Friends

The quilt walk will end on August 11, so enjoy it until then.

The exhibition Conversations With Gee’s Bend is open until September 3. The Quilts of Gee’s Bend are considered to be the most important African-American cultural contribution to the history of US art. Artists across many mediums are expressing their own dialogue with the women and work of Gee’s Bend.

Museum hours are Thursday-Monday 11-5. Admission is $10, SJIMA members and those 18 and under are free. Mondays are Pay As You Can Days. Go to www.sjima.org to explore the museum, exhibitions and workshops for adults, families and children. The theme of the 2018 exhibitions is The Female Gaze, The Woman as Visionary and Creator.

The RQAG made SJIMA their community project this year and made the pincushions and potholders inspired by Gee’s Bend quilts and island unique pincushions. For the curious, the fabric of quilts is sun-sensitive, so they cannot be hung in storefront windows.

More locally made quilts will be on display in the Textile Building during the San Juan County Fair, August 15-18.